PEACE EFFORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22620, 7 January 1937, Page 9

PEACE EFFORT

MOTOR STRIKE PARTIES TO CONFER MINISTER'S ACTIVITY GENERAL STOPPAGE PLAN By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received January O, <;.!"> p.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 President Roosevelt and the Minister of Labour, Miss Frances Perkins, conferred twice to-day about the strike of employees of the General Motors Corporation, but the Minister denies that she made any recommendation to the President to intervene. Mr. Roosevelt stated : "I have planned no strike action." Miss Perkins announced that a meeting had been arranged for to-morrow between Mr. William Knudsen, executive of General Motors, representatives of tho unions and the Labour Department. Mr. James Dewey would participate as conciliator. Mr. Homer Martin, president of the union, announces that a general stoppage is under way whereby tho sources of supplies necessary to the corporation will gradually be cut off. He hints that it may not be necessary to issue a general strike call if the stoppage is successful. MARITIME DISPUTE SHIPOWNERS' OFFER NO FINALITY REACHED (Received January G, 5.5 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. R The longshoremen's leader, Harry Bridges, and other union officials met the shipowners' committee to-day. The latter offered a renewal of the 19.34 awards but tho longshoremen refused to accept this unless with the Atlantic coast wages scale to which the owners refused to agree and asked the longshoremen to reconsider the matter. The Australian Associated Press says it is learned from an authoritative source that the masters, mates, pilots and engineers are preparing to abandon their demand for preferential hiring, which would remove the greatest obstacle in the way of a settlement. Their representatives to-day conferred with the Government's conciliators in an effort to find a substitute clause to save the unions' face. This is regarded as the greatest step toward peace yet made.